Slitter and rewinder



Dec 15, 1942 B.` w. LANQsToN ETAL 2,305,536

SLITTER AND REWINDER l Filed Aug. 4, 1942l 5 sheets-sheet 1 'T5-1e g D 15, 1942- B. w, LANGsToN HAL 2,305,536

SLITTER AND REWINDER Filed Aug. 4, 1942` 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS D60 1.5, 1942- B; LANGs'roN Erm. 2,305,536.

Filed Aug. 4, 1942 l3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 15, 1942 SLI'ITER AND BEWINDEB Bryant W. Langston, Woodbury, N. J., and Karl Sieg, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Samuel M. Langston C0., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 4, 1942. serai No. 453,528

2z claims. (o1. 1in-ssi' The present invention relates to slitters and rewinders of the type in which paper from one roll or other source is slitted longitudinally into sections, and the sections are rewound to form separate rolls.

A machine of this type usually comprises two opposed sets of rotary knives arranged in mating pairs with the knives of each pair spring-pressed together in overlapping relationship at the point where the slitting takes place. These two sets must be separated to facilitate threading of the uncut web therebetween and resetting of the knives for a new run. For that purpose, one set of knives is rst moved axially or laterally out of spring-pressed engagement with the other set, and then edgewise away from the plane of the paper. This lateral preliminary movement is necessary to prevent the cutting edges of one set of the mating knives from destructively snapping across the edges of the other set during their relative edgewise movement.'

erative position and the dot and dash lines the thread up position of certain parts of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, but on a larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a perspective showing certain parts in operating position;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing the means for locking the lever mechanism and for prede- One object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the manipulative operations necessary to prepare a slitter and rewinder for a new run are reduced to a minimum.

As a feature of the present invention, the machine is provided one side with hand-operated means for effecting the two movements oi' the movable knife set, and on theother side with automatic means for locking said knife set in 5" operative position -against movement away from the plane of the paper or for unlocking it, according to the actuation of said hand-operated means.

As a further feature, a single lever handle is provided for effecting both movements of the knife set and for effecting the locking and unlocking of the knife carrier at both sides of the .machine 'I'hus all of the parts carrying the movable knife set are simultaneously locked or unlocked at opposite sides of the machine and bythe operation of a single operating member at one side only of the machine.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings. in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation partly in section and somewhat diagrammatic of a slitter and rewinder embodying the present invention. and shown with the knives in operative cutting position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevation partly in section. the full lines indicating the normal optermining the sequence of manipulative operation of said lever mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6--8 of Fig. 1, but on a larger scale.

In the particular embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, the slitter and rewinder comprises a pair of frames II) and II serving as supports for certain operating elements of the machine, such as the idler roll I2, the two opposed sets of rotary slitting knives I3 and Il, and the two power driven winding drums I5 and I6. The paper A to be slitted is delivered from a suitable source such as a mill roll (not shown), and passes over the idler roll I2 and between the two sets of knives I3 and Il where it is longitudinally slitted to form strips of the desired width and trimmed at the edges. The slitted paper A then passes over a guide bar I l, over the winding drums I5 and I6 and around a rewinding shaft I8 to form a roll of rewound paper B. This roll of paper is supported on the winding drums I5 and I8, and is frictionally driven thereby about the rewinding shaft I8 as an axis. To accommodate for the progressive increase in the diameter of the paper roll B. the rewinding shaft I 8 may be supported for vertical movement in a manner similar to that shown in the Sieg Patent 1,827,802, and may be of the collapsible and sectional type to permit longitudinal separation of the separate rolls of slitted strips.

The rear slitting knives I3 are adjusiably mounted on a driven shaft 22 journalled in the frames III and II.

The front slitting knives I4 are adiustably mounted on a bar 23 supported in the frames I0 and II, and are spring-pressed axially into overlapping frictional driving engagement with the power driven knives I3. This slitter support bar 23 is formed with a trapezoidal tenon 25 receiving a plurality of clamp brackets 26 in dovetail adjustable slide relationship therewith, so that the knives may be adjusted along the bar to the desired positions and spacing and corresponding to the positions and spacing of the rear knives. To each oi' said brackets 26 is secured one end of a spring plate 21, the other end of which carries a bearing 23 for a corresponding knife I4.

In operative position each front knife I4 overlaps a corresponding rear knife and is springpre'ssed through the action of its spring 21 into engagement with one face thereof, so that the front knives are frictionally driven by the rear knives during slitting action.

To move the knives Il axially out of engagement with the knives I3, and then edgewise out of overlapping relationship therewith away from the plane of the paper, the front slitter support bar 23 is slidable in the frames I0 and II, and has one end 30 projecting outwardly beyond the outer face of the frame I .(Figs. 1 and 2). A lever 35 has a split hub 3i splined to the projecting end 30 of the bar 23 to rotate with said bar. Means are provided for holding this lever 35 against movement away from the frame I0 during manipulation thereof. As shown, a bushing 32 (Figs. 1 and 6) fixed in said frame and serving as a slide bearing for the bar 23 has an end flange 33 extending in a corresponding recess of the lever hub 3|. The lever 35 has Journailed therein a shifter shaft 3B (Figs. 1 and 2) formed at one end with an eccentric stud projection 31 which is journalled in a shoe 38 set in a transverse slot or recess 39 of the bar 23, and which causes axial shifting of said bar upon rotation of said shaft about its axis. This shifter shaft 36 is pro- .vided with a crank handle'dl at its upper end whereby the shaft can be rotated, the bar 23 shifted axially, and the knives I6 moved axially away from their corresponding mating knives I3.

To lock the shifter shaft 36 against rotation when in normal operative position of the slitting knives I4, the handle portion of the crank di carries .a spring-pressed lock pin to which is connected a knob I3 at one end. A lock bracket Il secured to the frame II) is formed with an aperture 45 to receive the lock pin 42 in normal locked position of the shifter shaft 36 shown in l full lines in Fig. 2.

To predetermlne the extent of rotation of the shifter shaft 36 in moving the knives I4 axially to the desired distance and to lock it in this position, the lever 35 is formed with an arm I1 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) having an aperture 6 spaced about 180 from the aperture 45 in the bracket 44 and adapted to receive the locking pin 42. To receive this arm 41 as well as the upper end portion of the shifter shaft 36 when the latter and the lever 35 are in norma1 position, the top wall of the lock bracket 44 is formed with a slot d8 (Figs. 2 and 5) open at one end and the other end serving as a stop for said lever.

In the operation of the lever mechanism described, when it is desired to move the front slitting knives Id away from the knives I3 in preparation for the next run, the locking pin d2 is retracted from the aperture d5 in the lock bracket Ml, and the crank 3i and shaft dit rotated about 180 until the lock pin l2 is in registry with the socket in the lever extension 31. rIhus the bar 23 will be shifted axially in its side frame bearings towards the left (Fig. l) through the action of the eccentric stud 31, and the knives Ifl will be moved axially away from their respective mating knives i3.

To move the knives I5 edgewise away from the plane of the paper and into thread up p0- sition, the lever 35 is swung argularly into the approximate position shown in dot and oah um@ In ma. 2A This causes a corresponding rohub 3| is formed with a depending extension 52 (Figs. 1 and 2), and the frame I0 carries a stop pin 53 adapted to engage this extension 52 in limiting angular position of said lever.

A counterweight 54 normally tending to maintain the lever 35 in the full line normal position shown in Fig. 2 facilitates the return movement of the lever 35 into this position.

Predetermined sequence in the two movements of the slitting knives I4 is assured by means oi' the shape of a collar 58 (Figs. 2 and 5) secured to the portion of the shifter shaft 36 which passes through the bracket slot 48. The collar has a atchordal surface 51 on one side. The inner end section 5I) of the slot B8 is circular and dimensioned to snugly accommodate and permit rotation of the collar 55, while the slot leading to the circular end section is narrower than the diameter of the collar. One side of the slot 53 is tangential to the circular end section 50, while the other side 6I) of the stop is positioned for sliding engagement with the chordal surface 51 of the collar 56. Thus the inner end of this side El) forms a stop for the collar 5B when the collar is in the rotative position shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The lever 35 cannot be angularly shifted through the slot 58 of the lock bracket M unless the collar 5S has its flat chordal surface 51 against the slot edge 60. This assures proper sequence in the two phases of movement of the knives I4, and also acts in addition to the pin 42 and aperture 65 to lock the set of knives I3 against movement away from the plane of the paper.

The machine is also provided with a series of spreaders 35 (Figs. 1 and 4) serving to lead the cut portions of the web away from each other along the lines of severance and thereby create a slight gap between adjoining sections, so as to make it easier to separate the several rewound rolls B. These spreaders 65 are mounted to move with the slitting knives I4 away from the paper web. For that purpose there is provided a spreader support bar 68 which is pinned or otherwise affixed at one end to the lever 35, and which is slidably mounted at its other end to a lever arm 51 (Fig. 1) secured at one end to the slitter support bar 23 adjacent the inner face of the side frame ii, A spreader bar 63 (Figs. 1 and 4) is secured to the support bar SI5 in parallel relationship therewith by studs it or other suitable means, and carries the spreaders d5 along one edge thereof. For adjustably supporting these spreaders 8b in selective position along the spreader bar @2, said bar is formed with a dovetail channel I2 to snugly receive the dovetail tenons of a plurality of clamps 13 (Fig. 4). These clamps 'I3 are secured to respective holders l by means of studs 15 to hold said clamps i3 in adjusted position on the spreader bar BB. Each holder 'M pivotally carries a corresponding spreader 65 in the form of a lever bearing against the web on one side of the line of severance. An adjusting screw 18 threaded in the holder 14 and bearing against the spreader 65 serves to regulate the pressure of the spreader, on the paper web.

The spreaders 8,5 are desirably arranged approximately symmetrically to the center of the web, and are made to extend so that half of these spreaders act in one direction and the other haii' act in the opposite direction. This is especially desirable in cases-where the machine is set to cut narrow strips, and therefore carries a comparatively large number of spreaders.

Also adapted toy move with the slitting knives I4 away from the paper web are two trim guides 80 (Figs. 3 and 4) disposed adjacent the end trimming knives. These trim guides 80 serve to direct the side trimmings C of the web in a well regulated path outside the machine, so that these trimmings do not interfere with the orderly operation of the machine, and are in the form of arcuate plates secured to respective holder 8| xed to clamps 82 adjustably mounted on the spreader support bar 6B.

As the slitter support bar 23 is moved axially to the left as shown in Fig. 1 upon rotation of the handle 4| from the full line position shown in Fig. 2, the arm 61 is moved with said support bar. However, since this arm 61 has a slide connection with the spreader support bar 66, this bar remains stationary so that the spreaders 65 and` the trim guides 80 are "at moved along the surface of the paper, and therefore will not hook or tear the paper Web.

While the machine is set in the normal operative position shown in Fig. 3, the knives |4 as well as the spreaders 65 and the trim guides 8U are locked against movement away from the paper on one lsiole of themachine by the locking engagement of the lock pin 42 with the lock bracket 44, and on the other side by automatic locking of the arm 61. For locking this arm 61, the frame has allixed thereto a locking pin 85 having an end portion extending inwardly from the inner face thereof, and the arm 61 has a socket 81 for receiving the projecting end of the locking pin 85 as the arm is moved toward the frame by the endwise movement of the bar 23 into the operative setting of the machine as shown in Fig. 1. If desired, the socket 81 may be formed in a stud 86 set into an opening in the arm 61. The arm 61 is thereby locked against angular movement so that the support bar 23 is also locked against rotative movement without interfering with the axial movement of said support bar. Upon vrotation of the crank handle 4| from the full line position shown in Fig. 2, the arm 61 is moved to the left as shown in Fig. 1 by the axial movement of the support bar 23, so-that this arm 61 will move awayfrom the pin 85 and out of locking engagement therewith. In this position, the arm 61 will be unlocked and can be rotated about the axis of the support bar 23 by the angular movement of the lever 35 into the dot and dash position shown in Fig. 2. I

The locking arrangement described also serves to automatically lock the slitting knives I4, the spreaders 65 and the trim guides 80 upon restoration of the lever 2 3 and the crank handle 4| in the full line position shown in Fig. 2. This automatic locking and unlocking operation of the knives I4 serves to reduce to a minimum the numbervof manipulative operations necessary to prepare the machine for a subsequent run.

It `is immaterial whether the locking pin 53 be on the side frame and the socket 81 in the arm 81, as their relative-` positions may be reversed.

As many changes can be made in the above apparatus, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention can be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A slitter and rewinder comprising a set of slitting knives, means on one side of the machine for moving said set towards or away from the plane of the paper, and means on the other side of the machine operable automatically by the actuation of said first-mentioned means for locking said set against said movement or unlocking it to permit said movement.

2. A slitter and rewinder having two opposed overlapping sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, means on one side of the machine for moving one of said setslaterally away from contact with the other set and then edgewise of the knives away from the plane of said paper, and means on the other side of the machine automatically operable when said movable set has been restored into operative slitting position for locking said movable set against movement away from the plane of the paper, and automatically operable when said movable set has been moved laterally away from operative slitting position for unlocking said movable set to permit it to be moved away from the plane of said paper.

3. A slitter and rewinder machine comprising `two opposed overlapping sets of slitting knives between which the paper travels, a lever handle on one side of said machine, means operable upon actuation of said lever handle in one direction from normal position for moving one of said sets laterally away from the other set, means operable upon actuation of said lever handle in another direction for moving said movable set away from the plane of said paper, and means on the other side of said machine' automatically operable when said lever handle is moved in said first-mentioned direction for unlocking said movable set to permit it to be moved away from the plane of said papenand automatically operable when said lever handle has been restored to said normal position for locking said movable set against movement away from said paper plane.

4. A slitter and rewinder comprising two opposed sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, one of said sets being movable laterally away from lthe other set along the plane of said paper, and subsequently away from the plane of said paper, a pin member, and a socket member adapted to engage and interlock with said pin member, one lof said members being xed while the other member moves with said movable set, said members being automatically interlocked when said movable set is in operative slitting position to lock said movable set against movement away from the plane of said paper, and automatically released upon movement of said latter set laterally from operative slitting position to permit movement of said movable set away from the plane of said paper.

5. A slitter and rewinder comprising a set4 of 'rotary slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, a bar eccentrically supporting one of said sets, said bar being movable axially and rotatively, a pin member spaced from the axis of and extending parallel to said bar, and a socket member for said pin member, one of said members being iixed while the other member is movable with said bar into locking engagement with the fixed member when said bar is moved axially into operative slitting position to prevent rotation of said bar until after said bar has been axially moved from said operative position.

6. A slitter and rewinder comprising a pair of side frames, two opposed sets of rotary slitting knives mounted on and between said frames on opposite sides of the paper to be slitted, lever means adjacent to one of said side frames for moving one of said sets away from the plane of the paper, and means locking said movable set to the other frame against movement away from the plane of the paper in operative position of said movable set, said locking means being rendered automatically inoperative upon actuation of said lever means and being rendered automatically operative upon restoration of said lever means.

7. A slitter and rewinder comprising a pair of side frames, two opposed sets of rotary slitting knives mounted on and between said frames on' opposite sides of the paper to be slitted, a bar eccentrically supporting one of said sets and journalled in said side frames for axial and rotative movement therein, a pair of levers secured near the opposite ends of said bar adjacent to respective side frames, means for locking said levers to their respective side frames in operative slitting position of said last-mentioned knife set, said locking means being automatically released upon axial movement of said bar from inoperative position, and automatically reestablished upon return of said bar axially into operative position. v

8. A slitter and rewinder comprising two opposed sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, a bar eccentrically supporting one of said sets, said bar being axially and rotatively movable, a lever connected to said bar near one end thereof, a shifter shaft journalled in said lever and having an eccentric connection with said bar to cause axial movement of said bar upon rotation of said `shaft, and means near the other end of said bar automatically locking said bar against rotation when said bar is moved axially into operative position, and automatically unlocking said bar upon axial movement of said bar away from operative position.

9. A slitter and rewinder comprising two opposed sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, a lever on one side of said set for moving one of said sets away from the plane of the paper upon angular movement of said lever, means for locking said lever against said angular movement, means carried by said lever for shifting said last-mentioned set laterally along the plane of the paper from operative position, means for releasing said locking means upon actuation of said shifting means, and means on the other side of said last-mentioned set automatically operable by the actuation of said shifting means for locking said latter set against movement away from the plane of said paper or for unlocking it to permit said latter movement. 4

10. A slitter and rewinder including a set of knives, a bar for supporting said knives, means at one end oi said bar for moving said bar endwise and thereafter oscillating said bar to impart corresponding movements to said knives, and means carried by said bar at the other end of the latter for locking said bar against oscillation and movable into and out of operative position by the endwise movement of said bar.

1l. A slitter and rewinder machine comprising two opposed sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, one' or more trim guides, means connecting said trim guides and one of said knife sets for movement away from the plane of the paper, said latter knife set being movable laterally along the plane of the paper without causing movement of said Vtrim guides, lmeans on one side of the machine for moving said last-mentioned knife set laterally along the plane of the paper and then away from said plane, and means on the other side of the machine automatically operable upon lateral movementof said latter set into operative slitting position for locking said last-mentioned knife set against movement away from the plane of the paper, and automatically operable upon movement oflsaid last-mentioned set laterally out of operative position for releasing said knife set to permit its movement away from said plane.

l2. Aslitter and rewinder machine comprising two opposed sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, one or more spreaders to separate the slit paper along its respective lines ol severance, means connecting said spreaders and one of said knife sets for movement away from the plane of the paper, said latter knife set being movable laterally along the plane of the paper without causing movement of said spreaders, means on one side of the machine for moving said last-mentioned knife set laterally along the plane of the paper and then away from said plane, and means on the other side of the machine automatically operable upon lateral movement of said latter set into operative slitting position for locking said last-mentioned knife set against movement away from the plane of the paper, and automatically operable upon movement of said last-mentioned set laterally out of operative position for releasing said knife set to permit its movement away from said plane.

13. A slitter and rewinder including a set of rotary knives, a bar mounted for endwise and oscillatory movements, means for adjustably supporting said knives from said bar at spaced points along the length thereof, a pair of substantially parallel lever arms extending from said bar at opposite ends, :means for moving said bar endwise with one lever arm and in respect to the other, separate locking means associated with said levers for normally preventing oscillation of said bar, and manually operable means for moving said bar endwise and simultaneously releasing both of said locking means.

14. A slitter and rewinder including a set of power driven slitters, a set of friction driven slitters cooperating therewith, a pivotally mounted support for said second mentioned slitters, separate means at opposite ends of the machine for locking said support against swinging movement, and a single lever for releasing and engaging both of said locking means.

l5. A slitter and rewinder including a set of power driven slitters, a set of friction driven slitters cooperating therewith, a pivotally mounted support for said second mentioned slitters, separate means at opposite ends of the machine for locking said support against swinging movement, and a single lever for releasing and engaging both of saig locking means and for swinging said support. ,s

16. A slitter and rewinder including a pair of power driven slitters, a second set oi slitters normally in overlapping relationship to said rst mentioned slitters, parate springs i'or each oi the slitters of said second set for pressing them into irictional engagement with the slitters of the ilrst set, a support for said second-mentioned slitters and movable toward and from said iirst mentioned set, separate means at opposite ends of the machine for locking said support against movement, and a single member for releasing and engaging both o! said locking means.

17. A slitter and rewinder including a pair of power driven slitters, a second set of slitters normally in overlapping relationship to said ilrst mentioned slitters, separate springs for each of the slitters of said second set for pressing them into fxictional engagement with the slitters of the rst set, a pivoted support for said second mentioned slitters, ends of the machine for locking said support against swinging movement, and a single member for releasing and engaging both of said locking means and for bodily swinging said support.

18. A slitter and rewinder comprising two opposed sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, means for moving one o! said sets toward and away from the plane of said paper, means for normally locking both sides of said last mentioned set against movement away from said plane, and an operating member for actuating both of said means.

19. A slitter and rewinder comprising two opposed sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, means i'or moving one separate means at opposite of said sets toward and away from the plane of said paper, means for normally locking both sides of said last mentioned set against movement away from said plane, means for moving said last mentioned set in a direction parallel to the plane of the paper, and means for preventing said last mentioned movement when said last mentioned set is in operative position in respect to the other set.

20. A slitter and rewinder having two opposed sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, a trim guide, means connecting said trim guide and one of said knife sets for movement away from the plane of the paper and permitting lateral movement of said latter knife set along the plane .of the paper without causing lateral movement of said trim guide, and a single lever mechanism for effecting both movemen Y 21. A slitter and rewinder having two opposed sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, a spreader, means connecting said spreader and one of said knife sets for movement away from the plane of the paper and permitting lateral movement o1' said latter knife set along the plane of the paper without causing lateral movement of said spreader, and a single lever mechanism for eifecting both movements.

22. A slitter and rewinder having two opposed sets of slitting knives between which the paper to be slitted travels, an oscillatory support, means for securing one of said sets of knives in iixed radial relationship on said support, means for normally locking said support against oscillation, and a single lever for operating said locking means and for oscillating said support.

BRYANT W. LANGSTON. KARL SIEG. 

